In today's busy world, online degree programs are an attractive option for adults who would like to return to school but who have to juggle work and family responsibilities or for students right out of high school who are eager to get started gaining work experience or who need to work to pay for their own tuition. Though there are many quality online degree programs, "diploma mills" do exist. These types of schools provide a substandard education, often for a lot of money, and are not accredited by recognized accrediting organizations. Students must evaluate each program carefully to make sure they are getting the education they need.

Accreditation Status

A quality degree program should be accredited by a recognized national or regional accrediting agency. Accreditation shows that the program has met minimum standards for a quality education, and that its curriculum will be recognized by other colleges and employers. Regional accrediting bodies include the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. The Council for Higher Education Accreditation maintains a list of all institutions accredited by recognized agencies, as does the U.S. Department of Education. Students can use one of these search tools to investigate the accreditation of a school to ensure that any accreditation it is claiming has been officially granted and is current.

Online School vs. School with Online Courses

The reputation of a program is important, as well. Some established universities, like Penn State University and the University of Wyoming, offer online degree programs in addition to their on-campus offerings. These brick-and-mortar universities have an established reputation, an academic support framework and faculty for students to contact. Some schools that only offer programs online may not have a good reputation for the quality of their program, and they may lack academic support such as academic advisers, faculty who are easy to contact or financial aid counselors who do more than pressure students to sign private loans. If a school offers online degrees exclusively, it is not an automatic sign that it is a bogus school, but students should spend more time researching its reputation and services to establish its credentials.

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Curriculum and Transferable Credits

Students can learn a great deal about an online program by investigating the curriculum for the degree they are interested in completing. Most schools publish a list of courses and other requirements on their Web page, and if they don't, students should be able to request this information. It should be a red flag if a school doesn't publish this information or make it available. Once students have the curriculum, they can compare it to programs at other well-known universities to see if it will offer a quality education in the field. Investigating the transferability of credits is also a good way to determine the quality of the program. If credits from the program cannot be transferred to another university, it may be a sign that other institutions do not recognize the quality of the program.

Graduation Rates and Statistics

If a school has a low graduation rate, it may be a sign that it does not provide students with enough academic support. The school may place an emphasis on profits over student academics. Financial aid statistics are also an important indicator of the quality of the program. If the school has a high default rate, it may be a sign that students are not getting quality jobs upon graduation, possibly because their degrees are not being recognized as legitimate.

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About the Author

Maria Magher has been working as a professional writer since 2001. She has worked as an ESL teacher, a freshman composition teacher and an education reporter, writing for regional newspapers and online publications. She has written about parenting for Pampers and other websites. She has a Master's degree in English and creative writing.